Adult male wearing a dark blue 'NORTHSIDE' t-shirt swims with an adult polar bear in an outdoor pool within a zoo or wildlife sanctuary during spring or summer, under soft daylight. 2:16
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His swim buddy is a polar bear named Agee

Mark Dumas loves a swim as much as anyone, but he keeps unusual company. When he slips into the pool, a polar bear named Agee swims right beside him. more

Agee is a female polar bear who weighs about 362 kilos. Mark and his wife look after her in Abbotsford, British Columbia, and he has trained her for a long time. She even has a film career, with work in ads and movies, including the film "Alaska."

In the outdoor pool, Mark, in a dark blue T-shirt, swims along with her and rests a hand in her white fur. At one point he says, "Okay, got that paw." Most people would rather not be that close to a polar bear's paw at all.

A man leans against a polar bear beside the water, one hand resting on her white fur, while the bear looks ahead. A headline runs in white letters across the lower third.Save
Mark rests a hand in Agee's fur at the edge of the water.

The two trust each other a great deal. Agee kisses Mark and hugs him, and he says he loves her and isn't afraid of her. To him and his wife, she is part of the family. She's just the one who needs a very big pool.

Adult male wearing a dark blue 'NORTHSIDE' t-shirt swims with an adult polar bear in an outdoor pool within a zoo or wildlife sanctuary during spring or summer, under soft daylight. The headline runs in white letters across the lower third.Save
Mark Dumas loves a swim as much as anyone, but he keeps unusual company.

People who see the pair go straight to the jokes. A favorite is that anyone can swim with a polar bear, but most of us could only do it once. Others picture a burglar sneaking into the yard and meeting Agee in the water, or spare a thought for whoever is holding the camera. Mark has hold of that big white paw, and Agee swims on beside him.